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The Golnmoner
6'CTtfBER, 1014
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ness men, whd desire Information of the general
condition of industry in their " particular line's,
is also afforded by this agency. These data ob
tained by1 the commission are not public records
and are not subject to examination by competit
ors, but so much of' such information as is con
sidered Tjy the commission to bo beneficial to the
public interest will doubtless be set forth in re
ports. CONDITIONS FOLLOWING DISSOLUTION
DECREES
After final decress have "been entered in trust
cases, it is necessary for th'e public interest that
it should bo known how these decrees are being
carried out, and whether they are being lived
up to. What is everybody's businesses nobody's
business. This commission is charged with the
duty of observing and studying the manner in
which decrees of this kind are observed, and the
attorney general is to be kept advised as to the
results thereof.
VIOLATIONS OF THE SHERMAN LAW
As far back as January 7, 1896, Attorney
General Harmon suggested the advisability of
having a body equipped for the purpose of mak
ing investigations of violation of the anti-trudt
acts. The commission is given power to make
these investigations whenever directed to do so
by the president of the United States or either
house of congress.
READJUSTMENTS TO CONFORM TO THE
LAW
-The department of justice has frequently
found that in the course of trust litigation the
defendants are desirous of readjusting their
practices so as to eliminate the objections which
the government raises, and it has been frequent
ly found that such a readjustment, provided for
by a so-called "consent decree," accomplishes
better results than a continuous prosecution.
Attorney General Wickersham in 1911 stated in
his report that:
"It would be, however, of great value to the
department if the functions of the bureau (bu
reau of corporations) should be so enlarged that
it 'could be called upon officially to make ihvesti
' gationaand report its conclusions with respect
to plans for the disintegration of monopolistic
combinations which either voluntarily, or in
pursuance of a decree adjudging them to be in
violation of the anti-trust law, are proposing
plans of disintegration."
The federal trade commission provides by law an
administrative body of this kind, to give expert
information and economic assistance in the mat
ter of any such readjustment whenever it is deem
ed advisable by the attorney general, and there is '
therefore placed at his disposal the judgment of
a1 body of men familiar with business conditions
from an economic, financial, and industrial, ra
ther than legal, point of view, to aid in this mat
ter of peaceable adjustments between govern
ment and business. The judgment of such a
commission, coincident with that of the attorney
general, will command the confidence of the
country and will doubtless be most helpful in
bringing about the new "constitution of peace."
THE COMMISSION AN AID TO THE COURTS
A' great burden has been placed upon the
courts in connection with entering decrees in
trust cases. The matter of "unscrambling the
eggs" is as much an economic and business prop
osition as a question of law. The courts are al
ready overburdened with legal questions, and
it has been urged that upon them should not be
placed the burden of the decision of economic
administrative details in the dissolution of mon
opoly. It has been urged that a commission com
posed of trained experts would be of great aid to
the courts in situations of this kind.. It is the
design of the trade commission bill to furnish
such, a body, to aid the courts in the formulation
of their dissolution decrees whenever the courts
Ceel it necessary or desirable to call them in.
FOREIGN TRADE
Prior to the unusual conditions induced by the
European war, and accentuated since that time,
have been complaints from American concerns
engaged in the export trade to the effect that
buyers in foreign countries have entered into
combination to the disadvantage of the Amer
ican business man. and. that trade associations
and combinations of manufacturers and traders
in foreign countries operate prejudicially to the
'American manufacturer or exporter of small
capital. Que of the first things In this situation
U to determine tho facte. The commission is
Charged with, ascertaining what the facts are and
to reportjo, congress ther,epn, with siibh recom
mendations astfit may deom advisable.
A MONUMENT TO THE CONSTRUCTIVE
GENIUS OF THE PRESIDENT
The federal trade commission promises to
stand as one of the distinctive monuments to the
genius for constructive statesmanship of tho
President of the United States, It promises to
have as great an effect upon tho alleviation of
business conditions and in the institution of the
now "industrial freedom" and "constitution of
peace" as any single policy which he has offered
to tho country.
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HODGES OF KANSAS
Governor George H. Hodges has been ro-nom-Inated
for governor of Kansas on the democratic
ticket without opposition. Governor Hodges has
given Kansas a magnificent administration.
When he came into office ho found a bankrupt
state treasury. The outgoing republican admin
istration had overdrawn their revenues by sev
eral thousand dollars, and within a few days
after Governor Hodgeg was inaugurated and be
fore the incoming administration had made a
cent of expenses, the state treasurer was com
pelled to draw on the county treasurers for near
ly $500,000 more to meet accrued bills. Thus,
one-fourth of the revenues of the incoming ad
ministration went to meet the expense of tho
outgoing administration. And yet Governor
Hodges carried the state through the year with
out increasing the tax levy, and without having
to mark state warrants "Not paid for want -of
funds." The Hodges administration has also
given upwards of $G00,000 more to educational
institutions of the state than has ever before
been granted. This includes the state publica
tion of text books which are now ready for distri
bution to the people of tho state, with prices
ranging from one-half to one-third tho prices
formerly paid, making a saving of at least one
quarter of a million dollars a year on this item
alone. The business judgment and executive
ability of Governor Hodges is seen in all of the
departments of the state government for which
the governor is responsible, and tho people of
Kansas will have an opportunity at the November
election to show their appreciation of a governor
who has given them a progressive and econom
ical administration that has saved the tax pay
ers hundreds of thousands of dollars while at the
same time increasing the efficiency of the .state
government in all of its executive and education
al branches. Governor Hodges has recognizod
women who have been newly enfranchised In
Kansas by giving them places on tho most im
portant boards and in the more important public
institutions. Following the lead of President
Wilson- he is making moral questions paramount
in tho conduct of his administration, and a
vote for Governor Hodges will be a vote to keep
the state government of Kansas on tho high
moral and business plane that has characterized
President Wilson's administration. The Com
moner hopes and believes that Governor Hodges
will be elected governor, and that Congressman
Neeley will be elected to the United States sen
ate. The voters of Kansas will overlook their
own interests if they do not see to it ,that thesja
men are elected this year.
SOUTH DAKOTA DEMOCRATIC
In South Dakota, a state ruled by the repub
licans since 1898, and in reality a state never
Tuled by a democratic party since admission to
the Union, because former Governor Andrew E.
Lee was elected both times by a fusion of par
ties, a great change has taken place.
This state has 117,000 votes; 7000 of these
votes are divided between the prohibition and
the socialist parties, leaving 110,000 votes di
vided between tho old republican party, tho
Roosevelt followers, or bull moose party, and
the democratic party. Two years ago President
Wilson polled in round 'numbers 49,000 votes
in South Dakota, and Roosevelt carried the state.
. President Wilson, of course, ran ahead of his
ticket, tho normal democratic vote in 1912 being
about 45,000. President Taft didinot get on tho
ticket in South Dakota in 1912, This year all
three parties are represented on the ticket.
The democrats are united in loyal support of
all their Candidates. Every democratic nominee
ig an enthusiastic administration democrat, and
there is no question but that wero President Wil
son running this fall ho would carry South Da
kota by a large majority over all parties, be
cause of tho wonderful rccprd ho and,bls party
.lmvo . made. ' ; ' , ' .
lion. E. S. Johnson, democratic candidate for
United States senator, is probably tho most pop
ular man In South Dakota.
Judgo James W. McCartor, tho democratic
nominco for govornor, is one of South Dakota's
very strong men, and is rapidly becoming very
well known because, of tho whirlwind campaign
that ho and his party nro making. Thero is,
general feeling that his election is assured; In
deed, voters of South Dakota, from all reports,
seem to havo mado up their minds to uphold- the
hands of President Wilson by olecting demo
cratic state and congressional candidates.
NEBRASKA
Tho Nebraska campaign Is progressing satW
faotroily. Tho democratic stato candidate;
men all of whom aro well known to tile
voters on account of their participation In public
affairs, aro making a careful and effective canvas
of the state. Tho splondld business administra
tion of Governor Morehead during tho past tw"o
years is the keynote of the state campaign, and
tho response from tho taxpayers Is hearty and en
couraging. Tho Indications aro that voters of Ne
braska will show tholr appreciation of tho efflclont
and economical administration of tho democratic
officials by giving the democrat ticket a rout
ing majority on election day. The campaign
being made by the congressional candidates in
tho six congressional districts of Nebraska is
meeting a response as though It was a presiden
tial year. Tho policies of President Wilson are
so popular In Nebraska among tho people of all
parties that a largo number of republicans, and
progressives will vote the democratic ticket as
an expression of their approval of the national
policies of the present administration and tho
desire on the part of tho people In Nebraska to
give to President Wilson six congressmen upon
whom ho may rely during tho next two years.
While tho present administration and the demo
cratic congress havo crystallized into law more
platform measures, laws of more far reaching
importance than any other administration in the
history of the country, there is still much to bo
done to complete tho democratic program prom
ised in tho Baltimore platform. It is of vital
Importance, not only to the people of Nebraska,
but to people throughout tho United States, 'that
both branches of congress should be in harmony
with President Wilson during tho next two years,
Tho Commoner hopes and believes that the peo
ple of Nebraska may be depended upon to show
their approval of the President's policies through
tho only practical means, namely, by voting tho
democratic ticket on November 3.
Congress has been in almost continuous ses
sion for eighteen months, but tho volume of well
considered and necessary legislation that it has
turned out is sufficient compensation for those
members who take tholr duties seriously and
who labor earnestly for the public welfare.
Tho democratic members of congress, both in
tho senate and the house, have had an Important
part in achieving those legislative results which
make up the record of tho Wilson administra
tion. Mr. Wilson himself does not come directly
before the voters for commendation this fall, but
' those who do approve of what the president has
stood for and who approve the legislative acts
which go to make up the record of splendid
achievement of the administration have the op
portunity of showing that approval by returning
to congress those democrats who stood so loyally
and faithfully by him, and by that steadfastness
and loyalty made possible those achievements.
0 O
If obedience to tho will of God bo
necessary to happiness, and knowledge of
his will be necessary to obedience, I know
not how ho that withholds this knowl-
edge, or delays it, can be said to love his
neighbor as himself. He that voluntaorily
continues ignorance, is guilty of all the
crimes which ignorance produces; as to
him that would extinguish the tapers of
a light-house, might justly be imputed
the calamities of shipwrecks. Christian-
ity Is tho highest perfection of human-
ity; and as no man is good but as he
wishes the good of others, no man can
be good in the highest degree who wishes
not to others -tho greatest measure of
the greatest good. Samuel Johnson.
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